The Days to Loving Fleur Delacour
by thewaywedo33
Summary: Hermione has been away for three years, and the last person she expects to run into, quite literally, is Fleur Delacour.


**Day 1**

Hermione has the tendency to get lost in books. They have always been a comfort, her old friends, and she can always count on them to distract her when needed. Which is exactly what she is, distracted, as she collides with another body while exiting the old book shop she'd discovered a few weeks ago around the corner from her new flat. The impact sends her reeling, books falling to the ground as she tries to catch herself on the stranger.

"I'm so sorry!" she cries out, steadying herself on her feet while clutching onto an arm encased in a soft cashmere sweater. When she looks up the last person she expects to see as the victim of her obliviousness is Fleur Delacour, and yet it is her icy blue eyes Hermione's meet.

"Hermione?" a friendly smile spreads across Fleur's face as she looks to the store Hermione just exited. "A book store? I guess some things never change, even after all these years."

It takes Hermione a moment to recover, she hadn't expected to see anyone she knew for awhile longer. Until she was ready. But Fleur is giving her such an earnest smile, and it's not like she's run into Harry, or Ron for that matter, so she manages to relax.

"Fleur, how lovely to see you. I'm sorry for barreling into you like that."

Fleur waves a hand in the air dismissively. "Don't worry about it, I should have been paying more attention."

Hermione smiles, nodding, until she notices the liquid on the ground from the previously full styrofoam coffee cup Fleur is holding. It's awkward for a moment, with Hermione offering to buy her another one and Fleur politely declining out of propriety's sake. Finally Hermione demands she be allowed to replace the coffee and Fleur gives in on the condition that Hermione join her while she enjoys it.

Which is how Hermione finds herself at a little cafe an hour later, laughing so hard she has tears in her eyes. Fleur is recounting the story of her and Bill Weasley outing themselves to his family and sharing their plans to split up on account of the fact they were both extremely gay.

Fleur's trying to talk through her laughter, getting out a few choked words before having to pause again. "And then...everyone is just standing there in silence, and all you can hear...is the dishes in the sink washing themselves, and at that exact moment...Harry walks in!"

"Oh no!" Hermione raises a hand to her mouth in surprise. "What happened?"

Fleur takes a moment to compose herself. "George says, 'Hello Harry, come to share any deep dark secrets with us tonight?' And Harry is just standing there as clueless as ever, and Ginny tells him 'Bill and Phlegm have just announced they're gay and divorcing', and without missing a beat Harry says 'Brilliant. Er, it is brilliant, isn't it?' And everyone just lost it at that point." Fleur lets out a giggle of her own upon finishing the story.

Hermione's cheeks hurt from smiling so much. She supposes it's from disuse. "Wow, that is really unbelievable. Are they all ok with it though? And I can't believe Ginny called you Phlegm to your face." she adds as an afterthought, feeling a little ashamed of herself for also having used the moniker in the past.

Fleur nods happily, "Surprisingly everyone took it really well. And you know, for once I felt like Ginny was actually accepting of me when she called me that, like it had become a shared joke."

Hermione is pleased to hear the outcome, and she feels a pang of nostalgia talking about the people who were such an important part of her every day life for so long. Until they weren't.

Fleur is giving her an inquisitive look, and Hermione gets the distinct feeling she's reading her mind for a moment. "Have you seen them since you've been back?"

Hermione shakes her head no, dipping her eyes down to the table for a moment. "I will, it's just...three years is a long time. I left on good terms with everyone, I just feel like I need some time to acclimate myself into this world again. Does that make any sense?"

"It makes complete sense." Fleur's voice is full of gentle understanding, and it helps alleviate some of Hermione's guilt. She knows she should talk to her old friends, that they would be hurt if they knew she'd spent time with Fleur before looking them up, but something about this situation is so much easier than re-acquainting herself with her old life right now. Fleur was part of her past life, sure, but it was always more on the periphery.

Fleur looks down at her watch, pulling Hermione from her thoughts. "Merde, look at the time!" She gives Hermione a genuinely apologetic look. "It's been wonderful catching up, but I have an appointment I must get to."

They both stand at the same time, awkward for just a moment, before they decide a hug is a perfectly acceptable way to say goodbye.

Fleur has already made it out onto the sidewalk when Hermione jogs after her, calling out her name. "Would you maybe...want to get together again sometime soon?" she asks tentatively. But Fleur just gives a warm, friendly smile and answers in the affirmative. She gives Hermione her address and tells her to send an owl before gracefully spinning around and continuing on, eventually getting lost within the other pedestrians on the sidewalk.

**Day 16**

Hermione exits her flat out into the brisk autumn air, on her way to meet Fleur for the third time in just over two weeks. She's surprised by how much she's enjoyed the company. She's still not quite ready to see Harry or Ron, but Fleur has been surprisingly good at slowly bringing her back into the world she used to know. It helps that she doesn't ask too many questions, choosing instead to let Hermione steer the direction of the conversation. And while Hermione has divulged little tidbits here and there, she's been careful to keep the darkest parts locked away. Not that there was much darkness left, three years traveling the U.S. Continent had helped her work through most of the residual effects of war. All that lingered now was the occasional nightmare, usually in the form of the dead faces of her former classmates, her inability to escape from the poisonous jaws of a giant snake, and the maniacal laugh of a woman with no soul. Hermione shivers involuntarily, pulling her coat tighter around herself.

It's after the third glass of wine at the corner pub where she's met Fleur that they start reminiscing a bit about the darker days of war. Fleur listens patiently when Hermione talks about her time spent searching for horcruxes, adding a thought here and there when pertinent, but mostly she's just there, and so very calm. Hermione doesn't share everything, she's still not quite ready for that, but she's finding it easier than she thought it would be to explain to Fleur some of her inner turmoil.

Fleur places her hand over Hermione's on the bar, giving a gentle squeeze just for a moment to let her know she's there.

Hermione exhales slowly for a moment, gathering herself before saying "You know, I never said thank you for shell cottage."

Fleur waves the thanks off with a gesture Hermione has recently grown accustomed to. "You don't need to thank me. I only did what I could, what was necessary, for the cause."

Hermione knows she's telling the truth, but she still needs to say thank you, if for nothing else than to have closure.

When they part at Hermione's doorstep for the night Fleur kisses each cheek, and softly tells Hermione she really should see Harry and Ron soon, that they would understand more than she thinks. Then she's gone into the chilly night, and Hermione is happy she ran into Fleur Delacour, and grateful for the friendship it's brought her.

**Day 27**

Hermione knows it's late when she knocks on Fleur's door, but she just really needs to see her, if only for a moment. The sleepy look Fleur is sporting when she answers the door quickly vanishes into one of concern as she asks if everything is ok.

Hermione gives what she hopes is a reassuring smile. "Everything is fine. I just came from seeing Harry and Ron, and...well, I just wanted to say thank you. You were right, they were so understanding."

The smile Fleur gives her is genuinely breathtaking before she pulls her into a hug.

They talk for a few more minutes there at the door, finally parting when Hermione declines the offer to come in for a nightcap knowing that Fleur has work in the morning.

**Day 35**

"Woman number one was ok, but she was a screamer, and not in the pleasing kind of way." Fleur explains. "Woman number two, well let's just say the best thing she had going for her was her capabilities with her tongue."

Hermione laughs as a certain kind of heat floods her cheeks, although she's not entirely sure why.

**Day 42**

"So you never really made a go of it with anyone while in the states?" Fleur asks, resting her chin in her hand and watching Hermione intently while stirring her drink with the other hand.

Hermione shrugs "Not really, no. I mean, I had a couple little flings with some nice enough men" she uses air quotes at the word 'fling', "but I just didn't want to start anything serious when I wasn't sure when I'd be returning home."

"That makes sense."

**Day 49**

They're at the usual spot at the bar (they really are becoming regulars here), laughing hysterically together when the woman approaches.

"Well, well, it looks like you do get out sometimes Delacour."

Fleur's head snaps around to the woman, laughter slowly dying away to be replaced by a friendly smile. "Anna, how lovely to see you outside of work."

Fleur introduces her to Hermione, and everything in her voice suggests she finds the woman to be pleasing enough and that her presence is not totally unwelcome.

Hermione shakes her hand politely while the other woman chuckles and asks "So tell me, what does it take to get her out for a drink? I've been asking for weeks now, and she's always got an excuse."

Fleur rolls her eyes in a good natured way while Hermione answers "I'm afraid I can't be of much help there. We go way back, and I had to leave the country for three years to get her to spend some time with me." All three woman laugh easily at that.

Anna nods her head understandingly. "Fair enough. Well I'll leave you to your evening. I'll see you at work Fleur, and maybe consider that drink offer sometime?"

Fleur answers in the affirmative, and the two of them are left alone again.

"You should really take her up on that offer. She seems nice...and she's really pretty." Hermione adds in a bit of a mumbled rush.

Fleur looks at her with an intense curiosity for a moment that causes Hermione to swallow uncomfortably. She's feeling nervous in a way she doesn't quite understand. But then Fleur has that smirk on her face she gets, and she asks in an amused tone "Are you trying to set me up Hermione? Because I'll have you know I do quite all right for myself in that department."

Hermione might be mistaken, but she thinks she can feel a light blush on her cheeks which she tries to cover for by rolling her eyes. "No, I'm just saying maybe you should give her shot." She throws in a shrug for good measure, trying to seem as casual as she's telling herself she should be about all this.

"Maybe I will." Fleur responds.

"Good." Hermione says, and she finds herself draining her glass of wine in one large swallow and calling it a night.

She has her first nightmare in awhile that night, waking in a blind panic. It takes her a long time to calm down afterwards, and she never does get back to sleep.

**Day 54**

Hermione hasn't talked to Fleur in person since seeing Anna at the bar.

She'd received an owl the previous day with a letter from Fleur telling her of the decision to follow Hermione's advice. She was having drinks with Anna later in the week. She'd asked if Hermione still wanted to get together for their usual Thursday night meet, but Hermione had declined, claiming she was having dinner with Harry and Ron. That was an outright lie, one that could be uncovered easily enough, and Hermione is not entirely sure why she gave it.

If she was completely honest, she'd admit to being rather unsure about her feelings for the whole situation. The fact that she considers it a 'situation' is alarming enough. She should be happy for her friend, and part of her is (so she tells herself), but she also has a gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach. She thinks it might be fear. Fear of losing a friend; of losing the first person in a long time to make her feel comfortable in her own skin and comfortable with talking about her feelings. She's not so sure that particular fear should make her feel this terrible, but she refuses to dwell on it.

**Day 56**

Hermione can not concentrate on her book and it is positively exasperating. She's read the same sentence 10 times now, and she finally gives up, tossing the book to the floor.

She pours herself a glass of wine, rubbing a hand over her face in aggravation. Tonight is Fleur's date night. She knows it's the damn date that has her distracted and worked up, but she doesn't know _why_. It's starting to make her feel crazy. Sure, Fleur has become her closest friend in the short amount of time they've been back in each others lives, and it's true she makes Hermione feel alive in a way she hasn't in a very long time, but what she can't for the life of her figure out is the reason she keeps picturing Fleur kissing that woman, or why she feels so very sick every time she does.

"Get a grip Granger." she mutters to herself before hearing a knock at the door. She freezes for a moment before finally reaching for her wand in an old habit that has never quite left her.

When she asks who it is and hears Fleur's voice in response she let's out a shaky breath of disbelief as she sets down the wand and opens the door.

Fleur does this little hand wave thing that would be kind of adorable if Hermione hadn't decided in that moment she wants to be annoyed. She arches an eyebrow before asking "Date go that well?"

Fleur looks nervous, which is not helping, but a look of slight annoyance flashes across her face at Hermione's tone. "It went quite well actually, she's an extremely lovely person."

"Which is why you are now standing on my doorstep at," Hermione leans back into her flat to look at the clock, "9:30?"

Fleur lets out a huff, "Are you going to let me in or not?"

In lieu of a response Hermione just steps aside to let Fleur pass. She sees those blue eyes sweep the room and realizes too late the state her living room is in. Four old wine glasses clutter the coffee table along with a plate from tonight's dinner. Then there's the blankets and pillows strewn about on the couch from Hermione using it as a bed for the past few nights. For some reason she feels better spending her sleepless nights on the couch rather than her empty bed. Exactly when she started to consider it so empty she has no idea.

But then those same blue eyes are cutting through her, and she decides it's the perfect time to do some housekeeping rather than stand there feeling uncomfortable.

Fleur stays silent while she gathers up the dishes and brings them to the kitchen. She dumps everything into the sink, turning on the water just to get lost in her thoughts again. She knows she's being rude, but she hasn't a clue how to stop what she's feeling.

She tenses when she feels a presence behind her, and the next thing she knows an arm is reaching around her to turn off the water that has been running for the last couple moments.

"Hey." Fleur whispers, and it's enough to get Hermione to turn around. They're standing awfully close, and Fleur seems to realize this after a moment because she takes a step, then two, backwards, leaning against the breakfast island.

Hermione's eyes are jumping from Fleur's face to the kitchen floor, to the clock and back to Fleur's face in what feels like a never ending cycle. She finally clears her throat to ask "What are you doing here Fleur?"

Fleur remains silent for a moment, and she looks like she's trying to decide on her words, almost like in Hermione's fourth year at Hogwarts when she only had a rudimentary understanding of english, but that's certainly not the case now. Her grasp on the english language is exemplary, and her accent has faded a considerable amount. No, this is Fleur deciding where she wants to start with a story. Hermione's spent more than enough time with her to know that.

She levels Hermione with an intense gaze before she speaks. "You know, that first day we ran into each other I had this feeling. It was like, I don't know, we were meant to see each other again. Which is ridiculous I know, because we run in some of the same circles, so yes, we were bound to see each other some day. But this just felt...different." She lets out a huff of air, and Hermione knows that action means she feels like she isn't explaining herself properly. "If we're honest, we were only ever acquaintances before, and then for awhile it looked like we might be sister in laws," she gives a wry smile at that, "but then you were there after years of being away, and you were this lovely woman, and I felt like we could be such good friends."

"We are good friends. More than good friends, you've become my best friend" Hermione finds herself admitting, unable to hold the words back.

Fleur smiles at that, but her eyes hold a shadow of sadness. "And you've become mine. But imagine my surprise when I found myself on a wonderful date tonight with a truly lovely woman..."

Hermione squeezes her eyes shut because she simply can not bare the sick feeling that admission brings about.

"...and all I could think about the whole time was how early I could excuse myself without seeming rude in order to come here to check on you. Only, now that I'm here I don't think checking on you was what I was really after."

Hermione's eyes pop back open, widening when they meet Fleur's.

"Hermione, have you stopped to wonder yet why my being out on a date is so upsetting to you?" Fleur holds up a hand when she tries to interject. "Really, don't deny it, I felt just as upset being on the date as I know you felt about me being on it."

Hermione's quite sure her eyes have never been this wide.

Fleur seems to lose some of her courage then, shoulders drooping a bit. "I'm sorry, I don't want to upset you. Just...think about what I've said please? I'll leave you in peace for the night, but please don't continue to shut me out. You are too important to me."

And with that Fleur is walking out of the kitchen. Hermione is panicked for a moment at the thought of Fleur leaving, afraid that she'll never sort this out if left to her own devices.

Fleur is reaching for the handle on the front door when Hermione gently grabs her wrist, stopping her from completing the action.

Hermione meets a questioning stare with a resolve she didn't know she had anymore. "Fleur, I do entirely too much thinking most of the time, and for once I just want to feel." And before she can change her mind she leans in.

Fleur freezes for just a fraction of a second at the start of the kiss, but then she cups Hermione's face and draws her in closer. There's a feeling of relief, of belonging that neither of them can deny. A feeling that this moment has been in the works since they first collided all those days ago.

It's a slow dance down the hall to the bedroom, filled with deep kisses and long caresses, shirts getting lost, shaking hands undoing a belt buckle.

When they finally reach the bed it's Fleur that takes control, and Hermione is more than happy to let her, allowing herself to be immersed in the feeling of lips and hands everywhere on her body.

Fleur later pauses, her fingers poised at Hermione's entrance.

"Do you trust me?" she asks, eyes probing Hermione's for any sign of hesitance.

"Yes." Hermione manages to whisper, and when Fleur gently presses inside her for the first time they both stop breathing for a moment, lips parted, faces inches apart, eyes locked in the most intimate stare either of them has ever experienced.

Hermione was immersed into the world of magic at the age of 11. Since then she's experienced everything from the most dark of arts to the most selfless of magical acts, but this moment has a magic completely unlike any she's ever known. She literally can not look away from Fleur as they start a slow gentle rhythm, releasing shaky breaths with each movement.

Fleur drops her sweaty forehead down onto Hermione's as the pace picks up, and they both get lost in each other.

**1:****0****3am**

Hermione kisses her way down Fleur's body slowly, pausing just beneath her belly button to look up and breath out "So beautiful" at the sight of Fleur, chest heaving, eyes dark with lust, before continuing on her path.

**2:15am**

"Tell me what it was like growing up with a sister?" Hermione asks, pressed into Fleur's side, head resting on her shoulder. She can feel a chuckle reverberate through Fleur's chest.

"Never boring, that's for sure, but completely wonderful."

**3:00am**

"Why did you go away for so long?" Fleur sleepily mumbles, stroking her fingers lazily up and down Hermione's back.

"I needed to figure out who I was, without all the constant reminders of the past, the reminders of war. I wasn't broken by any means, I just felt...lost."

**4:40am**

The familiar nightmare has just started when Hermione feels the pull of wakefulness. She's confused for a moment. Normally it takes awhile for her to wake once the nightmare has taken hold. Then she feels the body pressed against her back, an arm tightening around her waist, a nose pressed gently into her hair just behind her ear, and she hears the soft murmuring of words spoken in french. Those words pause for just a moment as Hermione feels a gentle kiss against her neck.

**4:44am**

Hermione drifts back into a dreamless, peaceful sleep with the hint of a smile on her lips.

**Day 91**

Hermione traces delicate patterns across the soft skin of Fleur's back with one hand while propping her head up in the other. She has a dreamy look upon her features listening to the french words leaving her lover's lips. This has become her favorite way to spend a Saturday morning, having Fleur read to her in her native tongue while they lounge in bed.

Hermione lowers her head to drop a light kiss onto Fleur's pale skin, smiling into her shoulder as she thinks about just how many things Fleur can do well with that tongue. She allows her mind to wander for a moment from there, thinking about the woman reading softly to her.

How many different versions of Fleur has she known over the years? The somewhat snobby girl who had first arrived at Hogwarts her fourth year; the chosen champion of Beauxbatons who displayed cunning, bravery, and a deep love for her sister; the Order member who helped come to her and her friends rescue more than once; the feisty and loyal fiance to Bill Weasley. This current version of Fleur was all of those things melded together, and yet so much more. This version was just so irresistible, and _so_ easy to love.

Hermione would know, because falling in love with Fleur Delacour is the easiest thing she's ever done. She hasn't plucked up the courage to say so out loud yet, but it's there, always there.

Hermione is pulled from her musings when she realizes Fleur has stopped reading and is looking at her intently. Her fingers on Fleur's back pause, and she suddenly becomes very aware of the fact she just spent the last however many minutes tracing a heart over and over.

After what feels like an eternity Fleur turns back to the book, but Hermione decides she doesn't want this moment to pass without letting Fleur know exactly how she's felt for some time now.

She tucks a finger under Fleur's chin and gently turns her head back, meeting her eyes as bravely as she can given the circumstance.

"Fleur, I'm in love with you. I wanted you to know. I just...love you so much." Her voice wavers a little at the end, and she feels a little pathetic, but she feels immensely happy that she finally said it out loud.

The smile that overtakes Fleur's face can only be described as joyous. "I love you too." she whispers.

They're kissing in the next moment, the book completely forgotten, but then Fleur is rising from the bed to head out of the room completely naked, leaving a rather confused Hermione behind.

When she returns she's holding a particular bottle of wine and two glasses. Hermione looks befuddled for a moment.

"I thought you said you were saving that for a very specific special occasion?"

Fleur pins her with an amused look. "I was, and you certainly made me wait long enough for it." Then she's walking towards the master bathroom and Hermione can't help but be confused yet again.

"Fleur?" she questions.

Fleur leans against the doorframe of the bathroom, giving a once over that makes Hermione's skin heat up before she arches a brow.

"Are you going to come enjoy a glass of wine and a bubble bath with me before I see just how many times I can get you to repeat those three little words while in the throes of passion, or not?"

Hermione doesn't need to be given such an invitation twice, and she's following Fleur into the bathroom with a huge smile on her face in less than a second.

**Day 1,132**

Hermione surveys Paris from the balcony of their hotel room, completely enchanted with how lovely everything looks in the night time.

She feels Fleur's arms wrap around her from behind and she leans back into her body, whispering "I love you."

Fleur drops a kiss onto her ear before she responds. "I would hope so Mrs. Delacour-Granger, this is our honeymoon after all."

Hermione lets out a contented hum. "I think we could be married for a million days and I'd never get tired of being called that."

And she really never does get tired of it.


End file.
